huge public health epidemic. there is this virus going on all over america, spreading a condition known as romnesia. [laughter] >> and it is soeven his opponene picked up a little bit of it. days before he promised to the 12 million jobs, a distinguished, independent business forecaster says we are going to get 12 million jobs in the next four years if we do not mess up what president obama has already done. it is my honor to introduce to you the commander in chief, the

man who will take us forward, barack obama. ♪

>> hello, virginia! are you fired up? are you ready to go? you have to be fired up after bill clinton. he has been traveling all across the country for this campaign. he has been laying out the stakes so well that our team basically calls him the secretary of explaining stuff. the only clinton working harder than him is our secretary of state, hillary clinton. and i am so grateful to both of them. the only problem is i was enjoying listening to president clinton so much, i had to run up to get my cue.

i was sitting there soaking it all in. he was a great president and he has been a great friend. i want everybody to give president bill clinton a round of applause. [applause] speaking of the outstanding public servant -- servants, your neck senator and former governor, tim kane is in the house. your outstanding congressman gerry connolly is here. and i want everybody to please thank dave matthews for the outstanding performance. now, i love you back and i am glad to see all of you. for the past several days, all

of us have been focused on the devastation all along the east coast. virginia got hit but was pared some of the worst brunt of this storm. i have been to new jersey, we have been on the phone every day with people from connecticut and new york. as a nation, we mourn those who have been lost. and our hearts and prayers go out to the families who are going through unbearable pain. so many people have been impacted. it is going to be a long hard road to recovery. but every time i have spoken to people, i have told them that america will be with them every step of the way. america will be their on this

hard road ahead. we will help them rebuild together because that is what we do as americans. which is why during the course of tragedy, we have been inspired by heroes, firefighters, and national guardsmen and women. ems folks and police officers running into buildings, neighbors helping neighbors cope with tragedy. leaders of different political parties working together to fix what is broken. not worrying about who is getting credit or the politics of it. a spirit that says no matter how bad a storm is, we bounceback. no matter how tough times are, we are in this together. we rise as one nation and one people.

and that spirit, that spirit has guided this country for more than two centuries. it has carried us through the trials and tribulations of the last four years. remember, in 2008, we were in the middle of two wars and the worst economic crisis since the great depression. today we have created nearly 5 million new jobs. home values are on the rise. construction is coming back. we are less dependent on foreign oil. because of the sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform. the war in iraq is over. the war in afghanistan is coming to a close. al qaeda has been decimated. osama bin laden is dead. we are safer than we were four years ago.

we have made real progress, of virginia. we have made progress. but we are here tonight not only lead -- to listen to dave matthews. not only to hear the master bill clinton break things down for us. we are also here because we have more work to do. as long as there is a single american who wants a job and cannot find one, our work is not done. as long as there are families working harder but still falling behind, our work is not done. as long as there is a child anywhere in virginia who is languishing in poverty and a far from opportunity, our work is not done. we have more work to do. our fight goes on, va., because

we know this nation cannot succeed without a growing middle class. our fight goes on because america has always done best. when everybody is doing their fair share and everybody is playing by the same rules. that is what we believe. that is why you elected bill clinton. that is why you elected me. that is why i am running for second term as president of the united states. now, -- [crowd chanting "four mor e years"] >> in three days, you have a choice to make. even if he made the choice, you

have to talk to people who have not. you have to tell them that is not just between two candidates or parties. it is between two visions of america. between top down economics, or bottom up, middle-out economics. as americans, we honor the strivers and the dreamers, the small business people. the risk takers who are the driving force behind free enterprise. we believe it is the greatest engine of growth and prosperity of the world has known. but we also know the market works best, the system works best, more businesses are created and more jobs are created when everybody has a chance to succeed. whenever betty has a chance to get a good education and learn

new skills. when we support research and medical breakthroughs because we know we cannot do it on our own. we have to pool our resources to discover the future. we know america is strong here whenever betty can count on affordable health insurance. when everybody can count on a dignified retirement. we know the market works better when it the rules of the road protect kids from toxic dumping. to protect consumers from being taken advantage of from unscrupulous credit-card companies and mortgage lenders. we believe there is a role for rules and regulations that are smart and we believe there are some things we should leave to the people. for example, we do nothing

politicians are very smart about controlling health care choices of women who can make it themselves. now, for eight years we had a president to share these beliefs. you just heard him. president clinton's economic plan asks the wealthy is to pay more so we can reduce our deficit and invest in the skills and ideas of our people. at the time, the republicans in congress and a certain senate candidate by the name of mitt romney -- [booing] don't do, you have to vote. -- boo, you have to vote. he said bill clinton's plan would hurt the economy and kill jobs.

sound familiar? it turns out his math was as bad back then as it is today. by the end of this second term, america created 23 million new jobs. poverty was down. our deficit became a surplus. so we know our ideas work. what about their ideas? we tried those, too. as for bill clinton, -- after bill clinton left, we tried giving tax cuts to the wealthiest americans. we tried to its triple a regulation so wall street and other companies were free to do whatever they please. what did we get? falling income, deficits, and an economic crisis we have been cleaning up after ever since.

we tried one way and it worked. we tried another way and it did not this presents a dilemma for governor romney because he wants to go to the same policies that did not work. he is a talented salesman. in this campaign, he has tried as hard as he can to repackage the same ideas>> and he has, i think president clinton called it, the brass to call it change. we know what change looks like. and what governor romney is selling ain't it. giving more powers to the biggest banks is not change. giving tax cuts to the wealthy is not change. refusing to answer questions about the details of your policies until after the

election, that definitely is not change. ruling out compromise by pledging to rubber-stamp the party folks in congress. that is not change. changing the facts when it is convenient to your campaign, not change. i mean, that's old. int's the attitude washington that needs to change. now, virginia, after four years as president, you know me. you know me. so when you're trying to sort through this argument about change, part of what you have to ask yourself is, who do you trust? when you are talking about the economy and policy that is so critical to our future, you've got to ask yourself, who do you

trust? you may not agree with every decision i have made -- michelle does not agree with every decision i have made. there may be times when you are frustrated at the pace of change. i am frustrated sometimes with the pace of change. but you know i mean what i say and i say what i mean. you know what i believe, you know where i stand, when i said we would end the war in iraq, we ended it. when i said we would pass health care reform, we passed it. when i said we would repeal don't ask don't tell, we repealed it. you know i tell the truth. and most importantly, you know i will fight for you and your families every single day as hard as i know how. so let me tell you, i know what

will change looks like because i fought for it. i have got the scars to prove it and you have, too. we cannot give up on that now. we have got to keep pushing forward. that is why i'm running for a second term. that is why i need your vote. >> four more years! four more years! >> now, virginia, let me describe briefly -- i know folks are cold. let me describe what am i talking about when i talk about forward. what do i mean by real change? the change is a country where every american has a shot at a great education. now, government alone cannot do that. parents, students, you have to study. but do not tell me that hiring more teachers without help our economy grow.

do not tell me that students cannot afford college should borrow money from their parents. that was not an option for me or bill clinton. i will bet it is not an option for a lot you. that's why i want to cut the growth of tuition in half over the next 10 years. that is why i want to recruit 100,000 math and science teachers so we do not fall behind. that is why i want to train two million americans at community colleges to get the skills businesses are hiring for now. that's real change. for is what we're fighting in this election. that is what is at stake. i want us to live up to this country's legacy of innovation. i am proud i have been with the american workers and the american auto industry. we are not just building cars again. we are building better cars, cars that by the middle of the e

next decade will go out twice as far on a gallon of gas. that kind of innovation, that kind of forward-thinking, it is not restricted to the auto industry. i want to bring manufacturing back. we have thousands of workers building long-lasting batteries, building wind turbines across the country. instead of subsidizing oil companies, profits, when they are making money hand over fist, i want to support energy jobs of tomorrow. which will cut our oil imports in half and held our environment, our national security. i do not want a tax codei want t will reward companies for creating jobs overseas. i want to reward companies creating those jobs in virginia. that is the future i see for this country. change is turning the page on a decade of war so we can focus on nation-building at home. we will pursue our enemies with the strongest military the world has ever known.

and virginia carries more than its load when it comes to defending this country. and we are grateful to this state. but we also understand to be strong, it is time to use some of the savings from winding down two wars to pay down our debt. fixing roads, putting folks back to work, rebuilding bridges, making sure schools are state of the art. and that is especially important for our veterans. we want to put them to work because if they fought for our work country and defend our freedom, they should not have to fight for a job when they come home. that is what is at stake in this election. and president clinton talked about it. we have to reduce our deficit. we have to do it and a balanced way. i cut $1 trillion of spending. once you get in office like dick cheney said, it does not matter.

we need to ask the wealthiest americans to go back to the tax rates they pay when president clinton was in office. the reason is that budget is about choices, priorities. as long as i am president, i will not turn medicare into a voucher to pay for another millionaire tax cut. so, virginia, we know what changes. we know what the future requires. we know also that it will not be easy. back in 2008 i talked about this. i warned some of the. -- some of you. maybe you were not believing me. i said change, real change is not just about changing presidents or changing parties. it is about changing our policy is. -- our policies. i ran because the voice of the american people, your voice, had

been shut out of our democracy by lobbyists and special interests and politicians who are willing to say and do anything to keep things the way they are. the protectors, the guardians of the status quo. and that status quo and washington has fought us every step of the way over the last four years. they spent millions of dollars trying to prevent us from reforming health care, millions of trying to prevent us from reforming wall street. they engineered a strategy of gridlock in congress. refusing to compromise on ideas that in the past both democrats and republicans have supported. and what they are counting on now is that you are going to be so worn down by all the squabbling, so tired of the dysfunction, so weary of what goes on on capitol hill that you will give up. and walk away. and put them back in power. let them stay there. in other words, their bet is on cynicism. but, virginia, my bet is on you. my bet's on you and the decency and the good sense of the american people.

and it is not a partisan but i am making. when the other party has been willing to work with me to help the middle class, i am right there with them. i am happy about it. i would have less gray hair if they are ready to go. come on. when we cut taxes for middle- class families and small business, we had some republicans for it. that was great. we had some courageous republican senators work with us to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." we celebrated that. we embraced them. i will work with anybody of any party that will move this country for. virginia, if you want to break the gridlock in congress, you will vote for leaders like tim kaine who feel the same way, whether they are democrats, republicans or independent. leaders who will put people first and put the election aside for a moment. but we are still going to have

some fights. because there are some values that are at stake, some principles we have got to fight for. if the price of peace in washington is cutting deals that will kick students of financial late or get rid of funding for planned parenthood or discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions or a limited health care for millions on medicaid who are poor or elderly or disabled or kick kids off of head start, i'm not buying that. that is the price i am willing to pay. that is not bipartisanship. that is not change. that is surrendered to the same status quo that has hurt middle-class families and everybody who is striving to get into the middle class for too long. and, virginia, i am here and running for a second term because i am not ready to give up on that fight. i'm not ready to give up on

that fight, and i hope you are not, either. >> no! >> you know, the folks at the top of this country do not need another champion in washington. they will always have seasoned -- a seat at the tables and access and influence, regardless of who is president. they will find a way to have their voices heard. they have money they can spend, lobbyists they can hire. the people that need a champion are the americans whose letters i read late at night after a long day in the office. the men and women i meet on the campaign trail every day. the laid off furniture worker who had to retrain at the age of 55 for a new career and a new industry. she needs a champion. the restaurant owner who's got great food but needs a loan to expand and the bank turned him down. he needs a champion. that cooks and the wait staff and the cleaning staff working

overtime in some vegas hotel trying to save enough to buy a first home or send their kids to college, they need champions. the autoworker who got laid off and thought the plant would never reopen and now is back on the job, filled with pride and dignity, not because he is building a great car but he knows he is building america. he needs a champion. that teacher who is in an overcrowded classroom, digging into her own pocket for school supplies, not getting the support she needs, but knowing every day she is touching that one child. she needs a champion. all those kids in inner-city and small farm towns, the valleys of ohio, and these rolling virginia hills, kids dreaming of becoming scientists or doctors or diplomats or businessmen or even of president, they need a champion

in washington because they do not have lobbyists. the future never has lobbyists. but it is the dreams of those children that will be are saving grace. that's why i need you, virginia. to make sure their voices are heard. to make sure your voices are heard. we have come too far to turn back now. we've come too far to let our hearts grow fainter. now is the time to keep pushing forward. educate all our kids, train our workers, create new jobs, rebuild the infrastructure, discover new sources of energy, grow our middle class, restore our democracy and make sure that no matter who you are, but no matter where you come from or what you look like, no matter what your last name is or who you love, you can make it in america if you try.

and, virginia, that is why i am asking for your votes. you know, i was backstage with david plouffe. he's sort of mastermind of campaign organization. we were talking about how as the campaign goes on, we become less relevant. i'm sort of a prop in the campaign. he's just bothering a bunch of folks, calling, asking what is going on. but the power, the power is not with us anymore. the planning, everything we do, it does not matter because now it is up to you. it's up to the volunteers. it's up to somebody knocking on the door.

it's up to somebody making a phone call. it is up to somebody talking to their mom or dad or their wife or their husband or grandma or grandpa and that's how democracy is supposed to be. it's up to you. you've got the power. and that's why i need you, virginia. do not get tired. don't get weary. if you are willing to knock on some doors with me and make some phone calls for me, grabbed some friends for me, turn out the vote for me, we'll win, virginia. we will win this election, finish what we started, move forward. together we will reaffirm the spirit that makes the united states of america the greatest nation on earth. god bless you.

god bless the united states of america. ♪ ♪ [cheering] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] aboutt stop thinking tomorrow" playing] ♪ ♪

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>> next, a u.s. house seat in

illinois. representative walsh is in his first term. tammy duckworth selected by president obama to be assistant secretary of veterans affairs in 2009. >> why would the assassin john wilkes booth want to kill william henry stewart? >> this is in the subject of some debate. some think that he realized in the event of the death of the president and vice president, the secretary of state would organize an election. i do not think so. he was not a lawyer, he was an actor. a shakespearean actor who knew the play julius caesar backwards and forwards. he viewed himself as brutus, doing the right thing and

lincoln as caesar the tire ayrat and seward as co-tyrant. >> more with walter stahr on c- span's q&a. >> next, and joe walsh faces tammy duckworth. tammy was a black hawk helicopter pilot and was selected by president obama to be assistant secretary of the veterans affairs in 2009. this is about half an hour. >> the candidates we have with us tonight in one of the most watched and heated congressional races in the nation. the newly drawn eighth congressional district includes

west and northwest suburbs. a couple of quick notes before we begin tonight. this is being stream to live on our website. you can also join a live chat there. you have a question for the candidates, you can ask it there. our format, this is not a formal debate. the candidates will not give opening or closing statements. their answers will not the time d and they will not necessarily be asked the same question. i will use fairness as my guide to move the discussion along and we ask the candidates to stay on topic and not give campaign speeches. joining us tonight, seated in the order they appear on the ballot, are tammy duckworth, a democrat.

she previously ran for congress in 2006. she also served in the iraq war, receiving a purple heart, and remains a lieutenant colonel in the illinois national guard. congressmen joe walsh, a republican first elected to the house of representatives in 2010. he worked with high school dropouts here in chicago and later taught american history and government at community colleges in the area. we thank you both for being here. welcome. we mentioned this race. it has had its share of intense encounters. there have been some fireworks. it has the dubious distinction of having made the 10 nastiest congressional races in the country. i would like to ask each of you to say something you respect

and admire about your opponent that makes them were the to hold political office. >> i think mr. walsh loves his country. as much as any of us do. that will go a long way toward serving the people of this country and people of the district. as long as we remember the job is about serving the folks and the district, i think we can all go a long way with that. >> campaigns can get personal. it is the nature of the business. we lose sight of who we are running against often. because of everything that happens, we do lose a connection. i have always respected her service. and her sense of duty moving forward, which is why she wants to run for congress. i think that is incredibly noble. >> let's began and let's hope we can keep that congeniality

throughout this. let me start with you, congressman. you have a slogan you have repeated during your freshman term that you did not go to washington to compromise, that your objective was to "stop this president." do you feel you have met your goal? >> i think we have done a decent job. maybe it is because i have taught american government and american history and i take a bit of a longer view. the country is going through something pretty tumultuous right now. we are having a grand debate. i always want to be respectful about where we are as a country. when president obama got elected, a big chunk of the country did a timeout, where are we going, our country's rigid government is getting too big and it is doing things government used to do and then they sent folks like us to congress to join in that debate and one other point, to help educate the people.

as a country, we need to wake up because we are really broke and we are not working and the economy is not growing. as a country, we need to wake up and get educated. we have raised the debt ceiling and number of times. >> we will get more specific. before you get to that. he said you will not compromise. you now say if you are reelected, you will be more willing to compromise. >> absolutely. depending on how this election shapes out. i am hoping that is the next step in this country, coming together to solve these problems. i have made clear i will never compromise on laying one more dollar of debt on top of our kids. i will not raise any taxes on

america right now because we are all taxed out. having said that, there is plenty underneath that i think both parties can come together on and agree on. >> you have a bipartisan spirit going into a washington was elected? if so, what are you willing to oppose your own party on. >> one of the things i have been clear about is the affordable can act. there are big flaws in it. we love kids with pre-existing conditions are covered. we like the seniors who cannot lose their health insurance just because they are seniors. or women do not have to pay more because there are women. most parents like they can cover their children up to age 26. there are real issues. this is the one of the first things i have said. businesses with a low profit margin, like restaurants, are really going to serve higher costs.

that is not acceptable. >> a general question because we will get to that later on, you feel one of york first priorities will be to may be a challenge the president if obama is reelected, or challenge your party? >> i think we need to fix problems with it and we have to be honest about the fact there are problems with the affordable care at. that is what needs to happen in washington. we need to listen to the people and if the people tell me they like all the good parts and there are things that need to be fixed, i am willing to do that. >> on your first things is to reduce -- created by congress to prevent and mitigate national conflict. the very next day, you voted to continue several funding for nascar sponsorships.

can you explain that? how is that fiscal responsibility? >> it is almost as if as a country we are not serious. we voted on 1000 things over the last couple of years in congress. specific spending items and larger spending items, trying as best as we can to limit what government does. the country has got to get serious. we have 10,000 americans retiring every day in this country. we are living longer. there is so much more that needs to be cut. it almost goes beyond cuts. we need to reform what government does. >> those two specific points that happen to jump out from your record and the first few weeks you were there. was that something you knew? you say you wrote on thousands of things. how do you explain an institute that promotes peace?

>> we tried to make a role generally that i was going to try to cut spending wherever i could. there were always exceptions. i voted to cut generally, but the nascar amendment bill was to help recruit men and women to serve in our armed services. it is something our armed services asked for. i think it is important we continue to try to make a great effort to recruit men and women. that was probably part of that specific. >> you do not have a voting record we can cite just yet. the opposition says if you have been a protege, as you were, and governor clinton, and president obama, and the district, most everyone generally agrees has drawn to get you elected. you owe that to the house speaker. you said it has been a bulk of

you owe that to the house speaker. you said it has been a bulk of the trend in the affordable care act. what is to say you are not following toby on the democratic party and all of these people you might be beholden to? >> take a look at my record. i am proud of the work i have done. when i started, eleanor was 39. by the time i left, we were in the top five in the nation. that was a tough time. nothing was getting done. you know what i did in order to get things moving? i founded the first bipartisan congress of legislators in springfield on issues. i reached out to republican state senators and said, we have to get this through. nothing is happening here. with the help of a bipartisan legislator, standing up to the speaker, we were able to pass

this first program and the nation that provided grants that actually helped veterans across the nation, $10 million out the door so far. there were many more programs like that. in japan -- introduced the first 24 hour hot line in the nation the only way i did that was withheld. >> 3 points. on record for a couple years out, the affordable care act did not go far enough. >> we will get to that. >> this was drawn for her. it was drawn by very powerful people. a final point, tammy did do some good things when she ran the of the a hilly region here in illinois.

illinois left a lot of states and still has a huge problem to give to the veterans. >> let's move on to some big issues facing the country. >> i do not get to respond? >> we will hopefully get back to a. we have a lot of territory tonight. let's talk about sosa security and medicare. at this rate, the medicare system has come of this left. given its funding. social security could be bankrupt by 200033. specifics about how to reform and at longevity to these programs. >> a few things we need to do. i start on a point of where the people in the district wants me to be. they want to maintain the guarantee of social security and they want to maintain the guarantee of medicare. not once in the 18 months i have been campaigning has a single senior come up to me and said, please let him do it wants to do. we need to be honest about the fraud and the abuse in the

program. here is where i agree with peter ross. he has a bill out. the fast act. it would go after the fraud and waste and abuse in medicare. i would certainly support that. we have to be honest. i would also look at medicare being allowed to negotiate for lower drug prices. we were able to do that. so much in prescription drugs and you get a price that is cheaper. medicare cannot do that. >> will that be enough? >> you need to look at other places, as well. you do not cut medicare to save it. $385 billion we do not need right now. hundred $55 billion. >> your proposals for reforming social security and medicare. >> the first point is to get serious.

medicare will not be here. it will disappear. every elected official in washington knows that. democrats do not say it publicly. there are only two things you can do. you can do what obamacare does. which is cut medicare. right now, $716 billion will be cut out of medicare to fund obamacare. >> that is an outright lie. not true. it has been pointed out that is not an accurate statement. you can keep repeating it but it does not make it true. >> it is part of obamacare to cut $760 billion out of medicare in 16 years. a 15% bureaucratic panel of " non-doctors in charge of medicare decisions. >> the $760 billion different from the same amount in the rhine budget?

>> mitt romney proposes to keep those funds in medicare and reform medicare, an important point. let me answer what needs to be done in medicare. even the republicans were aware of how delicate a candy, over 55, nothing changes. to keep this program around for folks hundred and 55, the other way we have got to go is to give seniors options. >> governor run the's proposals for vouchers. it is called a premium support. it is what we currently do, which is where we give seniors options. important to note, even for people younger than 55 in the republican plan, if you want to keep traditional medicare you can. you are either going to ration

or you will give seniors options. president obama with obamacare, wants to ration care. >> i think i should answer that. it is simply not true. he voted for the rhine budget, which would end medicare as you know. that is from the wall street journal. we would put seniors on the streets. even further than the rhine budget. he would like to eliminate the projection drug benefit. you want seniors to pay more for medicare. not a single senior -- >> and medicare as we know it. the chicago tribune and every other responsible person in this country has said if we do not ended as we is, it will end as we know it all by itself. we will not preserve it for

future generations. we have to do it. [indiscernible] >> a $1 million deficit in this country. congressmen, governor romney said among the things he would target would be the corporation for public broadcasting and big bird. that got a lot of attention. that is a small fraction of the federal budget. give me some big ticket items you would cut. >> the big ticket items are what we call this pile of mandatory spending. you basically break the federal budget into defense, non- defense spending, and mandatory spending. when it comes to non-defense discretionary spending, what we have tried to do is reverse the direction president obama has been going in which they increase that by 20%. the specifics are to reform

these entitlement programs. >> such as? >> medicare and social security so they are around. the biggest fastgrowing piece of the federal budget by far is the health care costs for our aging population. i voted to cut defense, part of the rhine budget is to cut defense. everything needs to be cut. i have said publicly. >> what are you referring to? >> we have bases do not need. >> $1 trillion in cuts right now. $385 billion. >> why should it be cut? thus we do not need it.

we already dominate this guy. we do not need it right now. >> how much would that take us down? >> $385 billion. $24 billion in medicare being allowed to negotiate for lower drug prices. $41 billion in oils and gas subsidies we should be going after. that is just for the loopholes that allow companies to not pay their taxes, and yet people in my district pay their fair share. we should be focused on supporting those. >> a quick yes or no on these. we need to move forward. in terms of income tax reductions, mortgage interests, yes or no? >> i would be very open to looking to get rid of it.

>> i think we need to lower the tax cuts on those looking -- to expire. >> we could get rid of the whole basket. what we need to do in this country is move toward a simple flat tax so americans can keep more of their money and so only the wealthy do not have -- they have the money to pay lawyers to find every deduction. if you want the wealthy to pay more, simplify the tax rate and. >> billions of dollars for large corporations who ship their jobs overseas so they do not have to pay taxes. they got a tax credit last year. >> we have a question from one of our viewers. this goes back to be affordable care act. tammy duckworth, you have said repeatedly obamacare did not go

far enough. what do you mean? >> i mean i think our businesses experienced an unfair burden when compared to other businesses. they told me they should not be in the business of providing health care. i do not think we will get to a place where all americans have coverage for health care, single payer any time soon. in the meantime, we need to get to work. we cannot get back to washington in january and vote for the third seventh time to repeal the affordable care act. that is what mr. walsh wants to do. we need to fix it. >> this is what people do not like about politics. she said the affordable care acted not go far enough. i believe in government-run universal health care. i wish she would stand by that because she said that proudly repeatedly.

>> most seniors have said to me was not please get rid of medicare. what they said was you need to cut what you need to cut. cut the oil and gas subsidies, let mitt romney pay his fair share. >> another viewer. he is asking, what is the role of the federal government in a citizens' daily life. >> the role of the federal government? we are born with god-given rights and freedoms. our founders believed as we should all believe today that the federal government is there to make sure our god-given rights and freedoms are not taken away. >> public good.

i think it is important in our society americans have come together and decided there is an important social safety net program so if you are on your knees and you need help, we should not give up on you. you need to get off of them but they should be there for you. >> let me ask you about your personal and public image. you have been the source of a lot of attention. you have referred to it as passionate. others have used more harsh words. saying you are sexist and racist. you make your points made. sometimes quite loudly and sometimes in your face. the regret anything of the way you handled yourself and your responses to run your first term? >> no. there are times i have got ahead of myself. whenever i have felt i step of a line, i tried to apologize.

i made a pledge that i would be the most accessible member of congress. i do not know of a member of congress who has held more open public town halls as i have every time i am out in public there are cameras around. you have to make the decision, will you keep doing that or will you cut because your word about what you say. we are also politicians who pull test everything that comes out of this month. i am and not dock in that i am not driven by my reelection. >> you have polls that say you need to balance straight talk with irresponsible talk and rainier solvent. >> you always try to. understand when you are an all elected official and you have made it a point to always be out there, and to invite independence, democrats

republicans to come ask me anything, as best any opinion, i have held over 200 town halls, hours of tape. there will be times when things got excited or passionate. this is a very important time in our country. >> let me ask you about your military service. you served honorably. you sustained very serious wounds in iraq, as we mentioned. some believe you might be overplaying your military service and perhaps your wounds in order to get elected. how do you respond? >> i think my opponents started that remark. his attacks -- veterans to speak about military service, or whether it is his discussions of latinos being dependent on

government the way african americans are, or his past, present. i am proud of our military service. it is part of why and how i conduct myself. i never called myself a hero. the real heroes are the men who saved me. every day i get up and i work every day to serve my nation because i have that to live up to. i have to make the most of this second chance in the life i have. the military is about the mission and getting the job done and coming together. there is this a partisan vitriol that comes out. the chicago tribune endorsed me and said he is hyper partisan. >> at beginning of every town hall i have had, i recognized those who have served and i have called them heroes. they are. the point i have always tried to make is, this great country is struggling right now.

to run for congress, you need to tell voters what you believe in and where you stand on issues and not just talk about your service. >> let's move on. we would like to make this a lightning round. quick responses. in terms of foreign policy, do you agree with the withdrawal timetable? r me, the benchmark is, how quickly can we get them home without having to put people back again. i would love to bring people home as soon as possible. >> not dictate a time table. >> under what conditions would you support military action in iran? >> if need be, yes, as a last option. >> under what conditions? >> if sanctions do not work, if they are about to have the

ability to develop a nuclear bomb, we used every option possible. that would be the last option we have to use. we have a ready to use. >> i think we do not let iraq and develop a nuclear weapon. >> under what conditions would you recommend it? >> i cannot tell you right now. at the end of the day, if that is what is needed, we will have an honest discussion about what is needed. i think it is time for the country of the middle east to step up.

not as a first course. not by ourselves. >> we need to encourage the democratic forces there. we need to rally countries around the world to isolate syria. >> do you support the use of drones? >> yes, as much as possible. we are in a war on terror. there are evil people around the world trying to kill us. we need to use every tool at our disposal to find and kill them. >> drones is something there that is a tool. >> do you support the dream that? >> i do. it needs to be practical, it needs to be fair, and it needs to be humane. we need to make sure people pay fines to have broken the law, i think we need to make sure people cannot get moved in front of the line in front of those who have been here illegally. have to be practical.

we cannot simply expel people and put them in jail. i do not what the kids we have invested millions of dollars in to go overseas. >> that is an answer trying to have its for five different ways. the dream that move people to the front of a line. i won my government to secure its border and i want them to do that before we have a discussion about immigration reform. 15 to 19%. that is a huge concern. we have 15 to 19% unemployment in this country. >> let me ask you about a couple colleagues in congress. senator -- they have both been in illness.

how long should constituents give an elected official in congress before they ask them to resign or step aside? what do you think? >> an interesting question. my thoughts and prayers go out to both because we know the battle the senator is going through. he is fighting it valiantly every single day. clearly, the congressman had his own issues. the most important thing for all of us for our elected officials to be open and transparent about what our situations are. there seems to be some issues with that, with the congressman. >> how do you feel? >> we need to give both the congress and and the senator the opportunity to recover. we give my least a year. i think they are both fighting some important fights in their lives.

as long as they are open and about the recovery, i think it is very inspirational. if you have seen the videos, thank goodness he has amazing health care that allows him to get the care he needs. it is an inspiration. >> let me ask you about a couple of social issues. the defense of marriage act. do you support striking it down? >> i support the defense of marriage act. it is important that this country signal marriage is a union between a man and a woman and that is the best environment to raise our kids. >> i do not support the defense of marriage act. my marriage is not broken by two other consenting adults marry each other. i have been criticized for this before. i think it is important. my position comes from my time in a hospital. my husband had to make decisions for me as next of kin.

whatever needed to be done, husband knew. >> your stance on abortion. it says you will not allow it. no exceptions. >> understand when we talk about exceptions, we talk about rape,, and life of the woman. life of the woman is not an exception. rape and incest are exceptions. there is still a life there. i would counter my position on life and abortion with ms. duckworth's, who supports taxpayer funding of abortions, which has always been a consensus. >> your reaction? then we have to move on.

>> i am pro-choice. here is the thing. not for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. he would let a woman died. >> that is not fair. >> talking about right, he co- sponsored the amendment, the need to define what forceable rape is. >> that is not right. >> that amendment four years, everybody knew what rate was. positions, the woman, a law- enforcement officer. suddenly, he feels the need. out of touch. >> i have got to respond. that is not true. i co-sponsored a bill and voted for a bill on the floor that kept the right language as is. >> that is what the bill said.

>> that is not true. question need to wrap up quickly. let me ask you about the human being behind a politician and a candidate. congressman walsh. you came to the inner city to work with high school dropouts. how did that inform the person you have become? >> i have tried to dedicate my life to helping those less fortunate than i. most of life prior to running three years ago was working with those less fortunate. i spent a good number of years working in the inner city trying to improve educational opportunities for young african-american, hispanic, and white children. i taught american history. >> i need to ask. you were born in thailand to an american father.

your mother was of chinese extraction. you traveled in south asia and ended up in hawaii. how did that affect the person you became? >> i ended up in hawaii because my dad lost his job and no one would hire a man in his 50's. we ended up in food stamps. thank god for the student loans and the pell grants that were there for me that allowed me to go to college. the programs mr. walsh has called free handouts. if you talk about what has affected me, it is the hard work, the personal responsibility, and the struggle to make something. >> we have to bring this to an end. thank you very much. tammy duckworth and joe walsh. thank you to the city club in chicago for this. >> tomorrow on "washington journal," we will talk about the

final 48 hours before election day, followed by a look at the economy and the swing states. later we will discuss the role of religion in this election season. our best is gregory smith. "washington journal," with your calls and e-mails live at 7 eastern on c-span. with election day just three days away, we will bring you live campaign events tomorrow on c-span. first, president obama in hollywood, florida at 3:40 eastern, followed by mitt romney in pennsylvania at 9:25 p.m. eastern. >> these are the stories your

textbooks left out. there are great stories about real people in american history, very important moments that we don't know about. the first pilgrims america came 50 years before the pilgrims sailed. they had the good sense to land in florida in june instead of december in massachusetts. then they were wrapped -- wiped out by the spanish, but we completely left them out of the history books. in the middle of the night she killed her captors, realize there was a bounty for indian scalps. she went back and scalp them, made her way to boston where she was a heroin. they erected a statue to her, the first statue to an american loman showed her with a hatchet in one hand and scallops in the other. >> sunday, taking your calls and e-mails on "in-depth."

watch live at noon eastern on book tv on c-span2. >> next, republican freshmen and marie buerkle faces dan maffei and ursula rozum. this is a rematch of the 2010 election in which representative buerkle unseated dan maffei. is about an hour. >> good evening, everyone. we are glad you were with us. central new yorkers in four counties will choose a representative for congress.

let's take a look at the map of the 24 district. it includes the counties shaded and light blue. if you are registered voter in that light blue shaded area in the 24th, you have a choice to make this year of the three candidates on election day. the polls are accurate, every boat will matter because the race is considered too close to call. if you are undecided, the next hour will help you make up your mind and help decide this election. let's make the three candidates in the 24 congressional districts. ann marie buerkle, running for reelection. ursula rozum is the green party candidate, and on the far right is dan maffei.

each candidate will have 60 seconds to answer my questions. we will allow rebuttal and an additional 30 seconds will be given to each candidate before move on to the next question. the first question will be answered by congresswoman buerkle. report was first published by bloomberg business week. it shows in that red line that takes off combining medicare and medicaid, social security, and the interest on the national debt, all those combined will exceed government revenue in this country by the year 2025. by 24, it will be 50% more than all the government currently collects in taxes. congresswoman buerkle, how gypos

changing the entitlement programs to keep the programs fall but because it is clear the taxes will not get the job done? >> thank you for hosting this event today. we have a problem in this country and we need the fortitude to get a balanced budget in place. the current entitlement systems and the way they are set up perpetuate themselves every year. they are not looked at. they just continue on and we no dramatic medicare and medicaid spending has gone up. puts tremendous burdens on our county. what the house did last year was cut tappan balance. we kept our spending and cut a balanced budget into place. the problem is that the senate has pelt -- failed to take up a

budget and put a serious plan on the table, other than what the republicans had proposed. >> i would disagree that taxes can get the job done. we need to have those making more than $110,000 contribute to social security. to stabilize health care and medicare costs, multiple studies have shown this is the most -- if we are concerned about preventing these programs from people who need them, we need talbert -- we need reform how the programs work.

>> mr. maffei. >> we need a balanced approach. we need to make sure that we balance the budget, but do it in the right way. not on the backs of our seniors of the middle class. shared sacrifice, particularly from millionaires and billionaires who can afford to pay more. we should get rid of the tax breaks for oil companies. we can save money where we should. one exception with the question , you put all the so-called entitlements in one place. there are some issue plus with social security and medicare, but i do not think those are the problems. they need to be adjusted but they do not need to be thrown away. we can make those adjustments but we need to protect them.

>> we will take it one at a time. medicare. even under the affordable care act, medicare as we know it will not survive much beyond the next decade or so. do you favor turning part of this program over to private vouchers for those under the age of 55, and if not, what specifically would you do for medicare to make sure the red line does not keep going through the roof? >> i do support medicare for all. our health care should not be a profit driven industry. consumers need to have the choice of doctors. medicare for all the stabilize costs. >> first of all, we have added nine years to the solvency of medicare from what it was.

but we have to do is get health care cost down. that means we have to be able to negotiate and continue to lower costs for seniors. members of the worst thing. that means every senior would be 6000 short of where they are now. the worst thing about it is it does not even work. medicare would become a program where you would have a certain amount of money, but there is no guarantee that that money would afford any level of coverage for the seniors. >> in all of this campaigning, there have been a number of distortions and lies that have been promoted by dan maffei, and this is one of them. medicare has been changed for

seniors right now, unless we repeal the affordable care act. it is not a voucher program. it is a needs basis, government supported premium program. it had bipartisan support. the plan was as you become eligible for medicare, you have choices. you can shop around for medicare plan and the government provided support is needed basis. the thought is if you are welcome you don't need that support and will save money now with the system back on its feet. the other part is that you can choose within the ryan plan, you can choose to stay in the current government run medicare. >> it would pull $700 billion out of the program.

>> you start at that baseline. what is different with the brian colleran versus the airport project for boca iraq. -- that is the difference with the brian plan. he put the money back into the medicare system to make it solvent and may get help your so that current seniors can count on the medicare plan to be there for them. >> what we are hearing with his back and forth to shows how complicated and dysfunctional our healthcare system is right now. we need to improve it and that is why support medicare for all. to offer health care to employees without having to worry about the insurance bureaucracy. we need something better. >> medicare and social security are simply trusts.

we counted on them for some years, so many generations. she says don't worry if you are over 55. want medicare and social security to be solved and for people over 55. i wanted to be solvent for future generations. it is such an important program, it is bedrock support. craigslist try to wrap up the health care thing. if in the next congress they should attempt to repeal the affordable care act, what parts of the health care law would you change? what needs changing and what would you support? >> there are several areas where we do need to make changes. part of the reason why i would not support repeal of the affordable care act is it is not going to happen.

there are a lot of things in it that are very important. we do need to stand up to insurance companies. we cannot just send seniors out into the private insurance market and give them a voucher and say go fend for yourself and hopefully they will not take advantage of you. we need to make sure that people have coverage, we make sure that people do not face a lifetime limits. i know woman who passed away of cancer. she was a cancer patient advocate. she ran into so many people who face cancer and bankruptcy at the same time. there are a number of things i would change, surly to help lower costs, but we should not just repeal it. we should move forward. >> i have been an ardent supporter of the affordable care act. two years ago it was because in principle i disagreed -- i heard

from an upstate medical center that fears of bankruptcy because of the affordable care act. st. joseph's has to pay $3 million penalty. tracy's equipment in north syracuse has to pay taxes on income. this law was not bought partisan and not well thought out. there is no toward reform in it. it puts the government squarely in the middle of the health care decisions. when you talk about the cuts to medicare and the impact this will have on seniors, it needs to be repealed and revised, including some of those goods --. with pre-existing conditions, keeping your job under policy until they are 26. we want those things to be

rolled into a new law. >> i do support medicare for all. i would not support -- there are too many parts of it, these are good things. we need a medicare for all plan across the country. it would allow medicare to negotiate with drug companies. that is part of the problem now, drug prices are too high because medicare cannot negotiate with the drug companies to bring down the cost of drugs. the discussion of health care is indicative of the dysfunction. the insurance mandate is based on a plan that was originally developed by republicans. we need medicare for all.

>> we are expecting something from congress after election day to deal with the fiscal cliff, as it has been called. they will probably do something because if they don't, economists are pretty sure we will have another recession. do we extend the bush era tax cuts, and for whom, and why? >> the house voted a couple of months ago with bipartisan support to extend the current tax rates for the next year. one of the problems we have with our economy is there so much answer to comes to businesses. they don't what the tax rates will be or what regulations will be coming down the pike. so they just hunker down and they don't expand or grow or higher. the tax rate should be extended for a year and we should not

raise taxes and any americans. will this really affect the middle class and affect all americans. in economy as fragile as the one we have right now, it would be a mistake to raise taxes. you don't raise taxes when the economy is so fragile. it will impact businesses and job creators. we want to encourage them and help them grow . >> said he would leave them in place for the next year? >> i would. i believe it is the right thing to do. >> i support progressive marginal tax rates on the top 10%. that has done well in our economy and that last 40 years. with the eisenhower rate, which could raise $1.20 trillion, which is more than last year's

deficit. i would be in favor of spending of revenues to stimulate the economy. the problem right now is that consumers are over indebted and out of work, private businesses cannot work and expand production if they have no customers. i would support cutting the military budget by 50% as well as closing corporate tax loopholes and ending subsidies and giveaways to big energy. >> i would not go back as far as president eisenhower, but i would look to president clinton for some indication to what we need to do. we need to share the sacrifice. i think we can protect small businesses and farms by not raising taxes on any income under a million dollars. we are not talking about small businesses and farms.

if we are, then we can negotiate that. we have to get rid of the tax breaks for oil companies. i can agree with a lot of what she says. she went to washington and she voted to raise taxes on every working family in new york state. john boehner did not vote that way, and it did not pass. she was the one member of the entire congressional delegation who voted to raise taxes on the middle class. >> we will go 30 seconds more on this. >> he constantly this towards my record in tears it down because he is unwilling to take responsibility for his own record in congress. records are real and one has to be responsible for them. so many of the small businesses

in the district filed a personal tax return. raising taxes on anyone will desperately affect our job creators and small businesses. they don't need to be taxed any further. >> i support the eisenhower rates. according to research we are none hearing from them how the plan on raising the money to cover the deficit. they have to tell us which programs are they going to cut? >> the idea that there are all

these small businesses and farms in the district that pay over a million dollars, she is trying to protect her wealthy friends. this idea that i am distorting her record, she has been a congressman for the last two years. >> we will see what happens tuesday. i want to start in the middle because i think he might be right. let's talk about simpson-bowles. they studied this thing in great detail. they come up with a plan to substantially reduce it. among other things, it would simplify and lower tax rates across the board, but it would also limit some very popular deductions like mortgage interest deductions and some health care deductions, too, that we all enjoy right now. do you support that part of the simpson-bowles plan? lower the tax rate, but get rid of the substantial part of some of the deductions that are

costing as revenue now? >> we need to keep the deductions that are helping working people, the health care and mortgage deductions. we want a fair approach to balancing the budget, or do want to balance it on the backs of working people? but the time i retire in 40 years, i will get a 5% cut in social security payments and we are talking about raising the medicare age. >> i think we need to balance the budget. there is a balanced way to do that. simpson-bowles has a lot of good suggestions but it was not meant to be net -- legislation necessarily. i think as president clinton did

when he balanced the budget, he was here and we talked about. we know the formula. it is not that complicated. you raise taxes on people who can afford it, but that is typical over a million dollars. that is a lot of revenue. you also make sure that we have economic growth. particularly in areas like transportation and infrastructure, making sure we have strong businesses that can move people in and out. there are a lot of things we need to look at with a collective approach, but it does need to be balanced approach. >> i agree we cannot cut our way out. his new best friend is bill clinton. his chief of staff was erskine

bowles. i was one of 38 members of the house who voted for that budget because i thought it was a good, bipartisan way to begin discussions and get our spending under control. i have the courage to stand up to leadership. that is something they encourage us not to vote for and was well thought of -- well thought out with bipartisan support. his congress, that the white house, senate, and house, and they did not pass a budget for two years. that is reprehensible, and it is dereliction of duty, i believe. >> it appears that the two major party candidates have a lot of wealthy friends. there was a report this week that showed almost $5 million of the money coming to this district race has come from super pac, outside groups, people that do not live here.

some reporting six figures. the league of conservation voters, it is along list and it is running very high. if elected, will you not be beholden to the people and organizations that got you elected by paying for all those negative commercials an attack as we've seen since before labor day? >> i am answerable to one group of people and that is the voters of this district. is a very diverse district and it is important that any representative represent all different sides. i do think it is deplorable the kind of money that comes into politics. the citizens united decision of the supreme court made the decision that corporations are people. i disagree. if that is the case, then i think we need a constitutional amendment to change that.

we need people sanford campaign finance reform, and i did sponsor that when i was in office. it is not a good thing. we don't even know what is coming in ourselves. >> let me begin by saying i have concerns when michael bloomberg spend $100,000 on this race. my concern is he is going to try to tell upstate new york have to live their lives like he is telling downstate new york. people who contribute to campaigns, it is free speech, it is supporting candidates who espouse your principles. these are pro-growth, pro economic agencies that really are america's job creators. they understand the affordable

keck care act cuts medicare for seniors. the kind of support i have had has been consistent with my principles. i will say that dan maffei has run a nasty ads and our ads have been about my message and what i intend to do and what i have done. i am proud of my record. >> the green party refuses all corporate donations. i do not believe that corporations are people. citizens united has really aggravated the situation. i think all voters should be outraged about the amounts of outside money coming in to influence our local elections. i support an amendment to reverse citizens united but we

also need an amendment to abolish corporate personhood. they are not individuals, they may be made up of individuals, but all those people have their own issues. we need to revise corporate personhood. >> i will be beach 30 seconds to actually enter the question i asked. will not be beholden to all of these pacs when you are elected? >> no, i will not be. i will be beholden to the voters of this district. i was in office for two years. there are all sorts of people who said you are going to do this or that, and i did not do it. >> all these groups that for

money in your campaign or going to want something back to >> i think my record speaks for myself, that i am willing to stand and represent this district in the best interest of this district. mr. maffei voted for the affordable perak knowing it was going to hurt local hospitals. the payroll tax cut that he refers to is something that would encourage and make social security more solvent. if we are concerned about social security and keeping it bible for seniors. >> i am the only candidate in this race who has never taken and will never take money from wall street, from goldman sachs, and over the years they have donated to both of my opponent. we have to be optimistic and believe what they say, but the money really does have an influence.

until we pass this kind of reforms a good corporate money out of politics so we can get people back in, our democracy will be corrupted by corporate money. i hope that whichever one of us gets into office keeps working to get special interest money out of our political system. >> we will take a short break. welcome back, we are talking with the candidates for congress in new york's 24 district. a florida family ever thousands of dollars this week, a family that has also given manage your campaign. she said the money with given thinly to help me get votes away from dan maffei. are you aware of those donations to her and what you make of it? was that a coordinated effort on somebody's part? >> orlin not. i became aware of it when my

staff mentioned that ursula was having a press conference. that is something i have no control over. i have no way of knowing who is going to contribute what and from where. the concern should be michael bloomberg an investment he has made in this race, $600,000 is a substantial amount of money to push an agenda. >> when you major announcement this week and wrote those checks back to charity, saying this is inty money, i don't want it, the opinion of some that provided the money comedy see yourself as a spoiler in this race arthrex i see myself as giving voters a choice in this race. my position is a very different from either of the two candidates. the real problem is that our electoral system is basically --

people are saying that a vote for ursula is a vote for ann marie. it makes people want to game our election. what we really need is electoral reforms. we are talking about things like instant runoff boating that allows people to vote for their preferred candidates. we need leadership in congress that is willing to change our antiquated election system. >> i think she did the right thing. we should look at things like electoral reform. it should not be one of the things where a candidate can win an election without winning the majority of the vote. i support those sort of things. i am for campaign finance reform. we've got to get the money out

of politics, no matter who the money comes from. a lot of it goes on tv and it does run our tv stations, i guess, but it can get to a point -- my mother rented a house in geneva for couple of months because she does not want to see all these negative ads against her son. is starting to get to her.

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>> the next question is for dr. carmona. >> the border between arizona and mexico is host to six ports of entry. officers are charged with preventing the movement of prohibit commercial products, pets, illegal migrants, drugs, weapons, and potential threats to national security. all of these things they must do without slowing legitimate traffic, including more than $20 billion of imports and exports each year. that is in arizona alone. what can the government do to help small border communities plan and execute improvements to the infrastructure leading to and improving ports of entry? what will if any does the government have in expediting on the mexican side of the border?

>> i think clearly we have to and partnership with our counterparts in mexico have that discussion so we can actually be able to integrate our resources. when i was surgeon general, i spent a lot of time working internationally on our international preparedness plan. it really is about striking a balance between both. the border becomes an issue because of national security, but is also a thoroughfare to commerce that you point out. if we look at the blue and green uniforms, we have to find a balance. this is a portal for commerce as well as keeping ourselves healthy and safe and secure. as we look at the amount of people coming across, which is the net decrease in this state, including the vitriolic expressions of some people who

had alienated people who do not want to come here anymore, we need more help on the border. we need to use technology more so we can move trucks and people back and forth. it is a federal opportunity. the border is a federal responsibility. we cannot go along the in this piecemeal, and a fashion with a broken immigration program and not have comprehensive reform. comprehensive reform is about economics, making the border more secure, it is about facilitating the goods and people on a regular basis so they can work here and go home. we all profit from that. the federal government has an important role. >> we have gratefully better infrastructure over the past couple of years. we are having trouble getting appropriate staffing for the ports. that has been stressful for

those of us and congress. we have not been able to get a staffing model to tell us how much money we need to authorize and appropriate for the sports. in the last go around, i passed an amendment in the house to dock the secretary's office a token amount to come up with a staffing model because we have been begging them to tell us what we need to appropriate to appropriately staffed the ports. it is about $7 million that comes to our state from people crossing from mexico in spending money just a in retail shops. the produce industry is about a $20 billion industry that comes mostly through nogales. it is important for the state that we do not just have enough and green uniforms, but the blue uniforms to make sure the ports are adequately staffed. >> congressman flake and i are in agreement on staffing.

i feel that we have to enhance our use of higher technology so we can increase the movement back and forth. i want to go back to comprehensive immigration reform. part of the burden we have on the side is the apprehension and incarceration of people who did not get deported. without comprehensive immigration reform, we're still going to have an economic burden. we will have impeachment's going back and forth across the border. this is about stopping the problem that has been perpetuated by congress failing to act.

>> we have to make sure we get these appropriately staffed. comprehensive immigration reform is desperately needed. first, we have to ensure the tucson sector looks more like the yuma sector. there has been wonderful cooperation with local law enforcement and the federal government in making this border here, the 88 miles of this sector secure. we have to do the same in tucson. and we can move on to all of the thorny issues that are needed there including guest worker plans and making sure we have access to labor. >> i appreciate you both sticking to the clock closely. we only have three questions to go. >> proposition 120 calls to change the constitution and declares state sovereignty. if proposition 120 does pass and federal and state courts upheld the constitutionality, what do you plan to do to ensure the state is reaping the financial benefits of acquiring the land without compromising the environment? >> i have not studied this carefully or this proposal, but

i am skeptical about the outlook. other states have talked about doing this kind of thing to having more influence over the federal lands. i think it is require more than a proposition at the state level. we need better corporation between the state and the federal government to manage the federal lands that we have. right now we have wonderful national parks and intrastate, but we have a backlog in terms of maintenance. we have the largest ponderosa stand in the world, but not if we keep having these fires. we have to make sure we have a rational policy with regard to mining interests as well. we do not have that now. we do not have the federal government allowing us to do a simple land transfer to allow resolution copper to expand and to create more than 3000 jobs.

these kinds of things need cooperation between the federal government and the state. we have not had that. >> we are talking proposition 120, but it does have implications for the management of public lands. but let's not forget, we are the united states of america. it is silly to talk about partially seceding from the union. that does not make any sense to drop out because you disagree with somebody. our strength is the agglomeration of 50 states. we're not going to regulate dust, obviously. the things the congressman brought up is important. we need cooperation, but that is the problem we have of congress today. there is no cooperation. all we do is bicker and fight and point fingers at each other. it is is about time that the public speaks up. again, i will go back to the fact that 90% of the public is

disheartened by how they have been represented. we have to start solving these problems. the challenge is really to get congress to cooperate and stop the bickering on both sides. >> thank you. part of reining in federal agencies and working with the federal government cooperatively has to start with the senate passing a budget. i cannot over emphasize the importance of that. most people look at the fiscal aspects. those are important. the real effect is without a senate budget, the house and senate do not go through regular order and we are not able to work -- we are able to cooperate across the aisle.

when we pass amendments, we know that the senate will not pick them up because they have not passed a budget and will just do one bill at the end of the year with everything thrown in. that has to stop. >> i will go back to what i said. congress is the inherent problem here. the congressman went the other side as if all good solutions only come from one party. both sides got it wrong whether in health-care or anything else. the congressman chooses to blame the other side. there is much more we can do cooperatively. the congressman has taken positions that are ideologically driven and attached himself to congressman aiken. he has been a proponent of redefining rape as legitimate rate. these are things we need to be talking about. health care for women, our veterans, and our seniors. >> i think the congressman should get a chance to respond to that.

>> i am willing to work with the other side and i challenge my own party when needed. when we had the earmark problem for years, i went to the house floor and challenged my own party more than anybody because my own party was in charge. they were not doing the right thing. i was removed from one of my committees for punishment for what they called bad behavior. that was standing up to my own party on these issues. i do work with the other side. the other side has to be willing to pass a budget. that is the problem. we in the house are passing budgets and the senate is not. >> the farm bill sets conservation and forest tree policy. the last farm bill expired in september. while food stamps, commodity support will continue to receive funding, there is no support for the lower profile programs that drive innovation, create jobs, and support the next generation of farmers critical to rural areas such as yuma county. if elected, would you consider a new farm bill a priority?

what changes to the legislation would elected advocate? >> when i am elected, it will most likely be a priority for me. i realize how antiquated the farm bill is. i recognize how it is a broken congress. they forget we have a big agricultural community here that desperately needs to support to be able to do its job. having the supports in place, having an updated farm bill that addresses the issue but also a farm bill that addresses health. the farm bill is tied to health as well. sometimes, we are the ones contributing to the problem because of a policy. we have to look at that very critically and ssay, how do we ensure there is an infrastructure of opportunity

here for the agricultural community? how do we ensure trade and trade balances are dealt with? [no audio] >> we need to redo the farm bill and with that will give certainty ahead. it needs to be changed and revamped considerably. for a community like this that farms mostly fresh vegetables, you get very little from the farm bill. let me tell you how out of whack it is right now, when the last farm bill was authorized, some said the we are subsidizing cotton is wrong. we cannot do that. the brazilians will sue us. they will win. they can impose tariffs and everything else.

guess what? they did. now, instead of changing the way we subsidized cotton farmers, we are paying $150 million a year to brazil to subsidize there, and so we will not have to change the way we provide subsidies here. that is wrong. that is out of whack. so is a program of direct subsidies and direct payment where we give farmers money whether they grow crops or not. that is out of whack, and a great filly that seems to be changing. i am proud to have worked for years to try to get rid of the ethanol subsidies that we have. $6 billion of a tax credit for something that is not working and is actually a detriment to the environment as well.

that has gone now, and that is a good thing. >> as i said in my remarks and the congressman expanded, i think we are in agreement that much is to be done with reforming the farm bill and ensuring it is contemporary and thought and nature and how it supports the farmers in our area. the challenge is, we have a broken congress. why was this not done? we have been kicking the can down the road for years. each party blames the other person. this is not that difficult to deal with. we know the issues, we know the issues about tariffs and subsidies, we have to have reasonable people sit down and solve the problems. that is the politics killing us now. party politics is not letting us of the problems. >> congress is certainly dysfunctional. the figures say not only 90 -- 90% said congress is not only during a good job, i would like to meet the 10% who think

congress is doing a good job. i have a thing to tell them. a senate that has not passed a budget in 1200 days is dysfunctional. it has to change. it is not enough to say that we need to work together. we do, but you have to have specifics. you have to have knowledge of how the programs work in order to sit down with the other side and actually come to a rational agreement. >> we have reached the final question. it will be directed to congressman flake. >> we have covered several issues that are relevant to rural areas in arizona. if you are elected to the senate, which of the issues would you be able to tell rural arizonans that you championed for them if he were to run for reelection in 2013? >> first, i mentioned our problem with forest health. we have worked over the past several years on the initiative.

this allows us to have industry in the forest on a commercial basis that helps us then the forest where needed that will save the forests from environmental disaster when another fire comes. we just let out the first contract. a group called pioneer will move deeper into the forest, not just to run the communities. that is something that is desperately needed that we have done. if the epa is successful, if the obama administration is successful at shutting down the navajo generating station, that will be devastating for the state. that is something we are fighting. the epa said the other day they are not just looking at njf, they are looking at coronado and apache as well. i had a letter and had every member sign it to tell the epa to slow down. let's have some public comment and some more hearings.

we are working on those issues, and we have to continue to. you have to be able to work with the other side on the issues. >> would you repeat the question? >> several issues are relevant to rural arizonans. if you are to win the election, which would you say that you have championed for them if you run for reelection? >> first and foremost, jobs and the economy. we are desperate here. we have a 30% unemployment rate. there is a lot can do that we have mentioned already. create an environment that is conducive to attracting business here. it includes tax reform.

closing the loopholes of the top. helping small businesses and keeping taxes low for arizona families. it also includes the immigration reform. this is an economic issue as well. well below that the border as an economic issue as well and national security, we have to enhance, we improve security. we have to be able to inspire small and large businesses to come here because it is a wonderful place to live. we have to create an environment through tax credits and give people opportunities to come here. there are plenty of people who would put capital at risk if they felt this was a secure environment, if they felt the schools were better than they are.

it is about moving a family here. i think that is most important to arizona. we get our fiscal house in order. we have jobs for everybody. we change the climate we have. you cannot do that without comprehensive tax reform and comprehensive changes along the border that includes securing the border and being much more innovative with visas, permits, pathways to citizenship, and the dreamers. >> with regard to jobs and the economy, what we need is a change from the current course that this administration and this senate has put us on. it is a course that has higher taxes, more regulation. assuming we can redistribute the same pie we have rather than growing the pie. we need a change, particularly in the rural arizona. we are disproportionately

affected when the federal government over regulates, in particular with public lands. we have to have somebody willing to go back to washington and advocate and stand firm on these issues. that is what i plan to do. >> the question of overregulation is one we have heard several times today, and clearly the epa in trying to regulate dust does not make sense. what we have learned is one size does not fit all. arizona has unique needs and regulatory opportunities. it goes back to congress. congress gives the authority to the epa to regulate. blaming the epa because congress failed is disingenuous to me. the epa cannot work without authorization from the federal government. we have to put that in check so it does not impede the economy whether call or anything else let us they are trying to regulate. >> we have gone through all the questions. we have reached the closing statement. you have 90 seconds. >> thank you. i appreciate the opportunity to be here today. i will state the obvious. i am not a politician. i am not running to keep a party in power or looking for a new career.

i know the collective future depends on a reasonable republicans and democrats to act as a statesman in great civility and solve our problems. we have not seen compromise for a while. i am running to restore trust in government to the american people. to ensure every kid can obtain their american dream as i did. i want to thank you for the opportunity to be here today. i ask for your support and but so i can have the privilege to represent as the next senator from arizona. >> i was glad to talk about arizona issues here today. i am a fifth generation arizonan, raised in rural arizona. i know what communities struggle with when the federal government is overbearing. that has to change. the course that we are on right now, we need to work together desperately. the problem is, the congress cannot unless we have a senate that functions. when the senate does not pass the budget again, it is not

letting the congress regulate the epa to tell them what they can and cannot regulate. we have to have a change in course. it is not enough to say you agree with your opponent, you have to have a position on the issues and advocate for them. go to washington standing for something. if you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything that harry reid puts on your lap. that is what we have had lately in washington. a budget is not passed, both sides cannot work together. my history has been reaching across the aisle, fighting my own party when needed. making sure that we compromise when it is needed. barry goldwater once said politics is nothing more than public business. sometimes you make the best of a mixed bargain. we know that is needed. we have to have people with the temperament and ability to do so. i ask for your vote. i will value it, and i will never forget where i came from. >> that wraps up the rural issues debate from the campus

here in yuma, arizona. thank you for being so respectful. that wraps it up. have a good day. >> today we will talk to democratic and republican strategists about the final 48 hours before election day followed by a look at the economy. later we will discuss the role religion is playing this election season. our guest is gregory smith. live at 7:00 eastern on c-span. >> this has been the subject of

some debate. some scholars think that boothe realized the secretary of the stay was tasked with organizing an election. i do not think so. he was not an -- he was not a lawyer, he was an actor. he viewed himself as britain is doing the right thing for rome. he viewed linkedin as caesar, the tyrant. -- he viewed abraham lincoln as caesar, the tyrant. >> tonight at 8:00 on "q &a."

>> this was the final campaign stop this today at the amphitheater in englewood. it is half of an hour. ♪ ♪

>> thank you, colorado. wow. thank you. i'd like to introduce someone to you. nextike to introduce the first lady of the united states, ann romney. [applause] >> that is the most extraordinary welcome. thank you, colorado. we are getting closer and

closer. this is getting very exciting. this is what -- >> three more days! three more days! three more days! >> it is. it's only three more days. this is so exciting for us. it is a thrill to be here. what a great country this is and what an honor it has been to go across this nation and to meet people like you that are here standing up today for america. [applause] >> three more days! three more days! >> you got her. you got her. >> we have such -- had a such a

thrill to go across this country but that journey is coming to a close and a new journey is about to begin. and what a thrill it is going to be because i know something about mitt. he does not fail. in our marriage, he has stood by me in my darkest hour. as you know, i have had some difficulties. and where has mitt been? standing by my side. as a father, i have seen him show exemplary courage and devotion to his family and to this sons. he has raised the most extraordinary sons.

i have seen him in business be everything, the most exceptional business leader and turn things around, and now what i am excited about is the next turn around in his chapter of his career. and it is going to start next tuesday with your help. thank you very much. [applause] >> tonight, we are entering the final weekend of the campaign and you are right -- at the obama rally, they are shouting four more years and we are shouting three more days. we are so grateful to you and to the people across the

country for all you have given of yourselves to this campaign. this is not just about paul ryan and me. it is about america. it is about the future we will leave our children. we thank you and we ask you to stay at it until we win on tuesday night. now, the closing hours of a campaign have a dynamic all their own. many voters have already made up their minds. i figure you guys are. you know what you are going to do. there are others who are putting aside the demands of daily living and they are considering who to vote for and how that vote will affect their lives and the lives of their children and the course of the country we love. and we ask them to look beyond

the speeches and the attacks and the ads. look to the records, the cosmos, the failures, and the judgments, -- the accomplishments -- because words are cheap. the record is real and it is earned with effort. change can't be measured in speeches. it is measured in achievements. and four years ago, candidate obama promised to do so very much. but he has fallen so very short. i mean, he promised he would be a post-partisan president. but he has been most partisan. dividing, attacking, blaming. he was going to focus on creating jobs. instead he focused on creating

a obama-care to kill jobs. he said he was going to cut the federal deficit in half but then he doubled that. then he said he would bring the unemployment rate down to 5.2% by now. we learned on friday it is 7.9%. it is 9 million jobs short of what he promised. and unemployment today is higher than when barack obama took office. by the way, he also promised he would propose a plan by now to save social security and medicare. he did not. rather, he raided $716 billion from the medicare to pay for obama-care. the list goes on. he said he would a lower health premiums by $2,000 a family. but instead they have gone up by $3,000 per family. the average american family pays $2,000 a year more for gasoline than when president

obama was elected. i will mention one more thing. he said he would work across the aisle on the most important issues. this is interesting. he has not met on the economy or on the budget or on jobs with the republican leader of the house or the senate since july. and so, instead of bridging the divide, he is making it wider. people wonder how is that he has fallen so short of what he promised. i think it is in part because he has never led, he has never worked across the aisle, he has never truly understood how jobs are created in this economy. by the way, he is making new promises. promises he will not be able to keep because he admits he is planning on staying on the same path. the same course we have been on will not lead to a better destination. the same path we are on means $20 trillion in debt at the end of a second term that we will

not have. it means crippling unemployment. it means stagnant take-home pay, depressed home values, a devastated military. unless we change course, we may be looking at another recession. so the question of this election comes down to this -- do you want more of the same or do you want real change? president obama promised change but he could not deliver change. i promise change and i have a record of achieving real change. i built a business, helped turn around another. i helped put an olympics back on track. and with a democrat legislature, i helped turn my state from deficit to surplus and from job losses to job growth and from higher taxes to higher take-home pay. this is why i'm running for president. i know how to change the course of the nation. i know how to get to a balanced budget that build the jobs and to get a rise in take-home pay. accomplishing change is not

something i talk about it is something i have done. and it is what i will do when i am president of the united states with your help. now, if you believe we can do better, if you believe america should be on a better course, if you are tired of being tired, then i ask you to vote for real change. paul ryan and i will bring real

change to america from day one. when i'm elected the economy and american jobs will be stagnant, but i will not waste any time complaining about my predecessor. i won't spend my time trying to pass partisan legislation that is unrelated to jobs. from day one i am going to work to put americans back to work. now, you know as well as i do that people across the country are responding to our five point plan to create jobs. part one is about taking full advantage of our energy resources.

on day one, i'm going to increase the number of leases and permits to drill on federal land. and i will act to speed the approval of the keystone pipeline from canada. now, secondly, i will boost trade, with latin america. and i will finally designate china as a currency manipulator because it is time to trade -- for america. now, third, i want to send to congress the retraining and reform act to make sure every worker has the skills they need for a good-paying job. fourth, i will move to tackle out of control spending. i will send congress the first of several fundamental reforms called the down payment of fiscal sanity act. and in this act, we will not

just slow down the rate of government and its spending but i will cut spending. you see, i'm not going to just take office on january 20. i will take responsibility as well. number five, i am going to act to boost small business and all business. i will issue executive orders aimed at the problems that are holding back the economy. in the first of those is going to grant state waivers from obama-care to begin its repeal. and the second is going to launch a review of all of the obama regulations and i will eliminate or repair those that are killing american jobs.

and for the first time in four years, every entrepreneur, every small business person, every job creator will know that the president of the united states likes them and loves the jobs and higher wages they bring to america. we've almost forgotten what a real recovery looks like. what americans can achieve when we limit government instead of limiting the dreams of our fellow americans.

and that is about to change. now, the people who will be voting will be able to choose the future they want. you can stay on the path of the last four years or you can choose a real change. you know if the president is reelected, he will still be unable to work with people in congress. he has ignored them. he has blamed them and attacked them. the debt ceiling is going to come up again and shut down and the fault will be threatened. the president was right when he said he cannot change washington from the inside. in this case, we can take him at his word. you see, when i'm elected -- when i am elected -- i'm going to work with republicans and democrats in

congress. i am going to meet regularly with their leaders and endeavor to find good men and women on both sides of the aisle who care more about the country than they do about politics. now, you also know that if the president were to be reelected, he will continue his war on coal and oil and natural gas. all of that would guarantee higher energy prices and fewer jobs as well. when i am elected, we will change course on energy. i know how much energy means to middle-class families struggling to get by. we can hold down prices at the pump and grow new jobs with energy that includes coal, oil,

gas, nuclear, and renewables. you know, that if the president were to be reelected, he would continue to promote government and demote business. he chose his own jobs counsel, you know. it was made up of leaders from business leaders across the country. he wanted their advice on the biggest issue of the time -- creating jobs and a stronger economy. the you know how long it has been since he met with them? nine months. look, i see free enterprise as a means for people to fulfill their dreams. and so, by the way, the other day, i was in richmond, virginia and i met with someone named rhonda elliott. she has been running her family restaurant business -- bill's barbecue. at its high point, it employed 200 people. she closed it down. she told me the obama economy put her out of business. she teared up. this was not about money. this is about the future of her family and the employees she cares about. i want to help the hundreds of

thousands of people like rhoda and i will. now, you know that if the president were to be reelected, he will say every good thing he can about education, but in the final analysis, he will do what his largest campaign contributors do and that is public sector unions. they will insist upon their path. your kids would have the same schools with the same results. when i am president, i am going to be a voice for the children and parents because they do not have a union. i want to make sure the parents have the information they need to know to find out whether their school is succeeding or failing.

and i want to make sure they have the choice to pick the school where their child has the best chance for success. one more thing. under barack obama, or reelected president barack obama, our military will experience what the secretary of defense called devastating cuts which would jeopardize our national security as well as kill jobs. when i'm president, i will not cut our commitment to national defense. a strong america is the best ally pea's has ever known and i am keeping strong -- peace has ever known and i am keeping strong.

i've watched as our campaign has gathered the strength of the movement. it is not only the size of the crowds. this is an extraordinary crowd tonight. it's also the depth of our shared vision. it has made me strive more to be worthy of your support, to campaign as i would govern, to speak for the aspirations of all americans. i learned as governor of massachusetts the best achievements are shared achievements. i learned to respect and good will go a long way and are usually returned in kind. that is how i conduct myself as president. i will bring people together, doing big things for the common good. i will not just represent one party. i will represent one nation. >> u.s.a.! u.s.a.!

u.s.a.! >> now, as you know, throughout this campaign, president obama has tried to convince you these last four years have been a success. he's loading a plan for the next four years. he wants to take all the things he did in his first term -- the stimulus, obama-care -- and to try them all over again. look, our big dreams will not be satisfied with a small agenda that has already failed. yesterday, i imagine you heard this, yesterday president obama asked his supporters to vote for revenge. for revenge. instead, i ask the american

people to vote for love of country. >> u.s.a.! u.s.a.! >> together, we have got to lead america to a better place. now, we are three days away from a fresh start. three days away from the first day of a new beginning. i have an unshakable faith in the american spirit. if anyone is worried that the last four years are the best we can do, if there are any that have feared the american dream is fading away, any who wonder whether better jobs are things of the past, i have a clear and unequivocal message. with the right leadership america is about to come roaring back.

>> u.s.a.! u.s.a.! >> we are americans and we can do anything. the only thing that stands between us and some of the best years we have ever known is lack of leadership. that is why we have elections. you saw the differences between president obama and myself when we were side by side in our debates. he says it has to be this way. i say it cannot stay this way. he is offering excuses. i've got a plan. i cannot wait to get going. he is hoping we will settle. but americans do not settle. we build. we aspire. we listened to that voice inside this as we can do better, a better job, a better life for

our kids, a bigger, better country that is coming soon. three more days and we can get to work restoring our confidence and renewing our conviction, confidence that we are on a solid path to a steady improvement, confidence that college graduates four years from now will find a better job. the confidence that the single mother who is working two jobs will have a shot at a better job as well. now, my confidence in america and in our future stems from what i've seen in the hearts of the american people. we are people who are given to give ourselves to things larger than ourselves. it says that a hero is not

someone that is larger than life, just larger than himself. some years ago, i was serving as a boy scout leader in the boy scouts of america. i was at a court of honor. and there was a long table at the front of the room and i was seated next to the american flag. a person who was speaking at the podium was a scoutmaster we had flown in to tell his story, from monument, colorado. he said his boy scout troop wanted a special american flag. they bought one and they had it flown above the capitol building. when they came home, the boys said they would like to have nasa take it to the space shuttle. nasa agreed. you can imagine the pride of our boys as they were sitting in their rooms at school watching the tv sets as they saw the space challenger shuttle

launch into the air. and they saw it explode on the tv screen in front of their eyes. he called nasa and called week after week, had they found a remnant of the flag? month after month, still no remnant of the flag. he was reading an article that describes some of the debris from the challenger disaster and it mentioned a flag. nasa said they had a presentation to make to their boys. the boys were there and they presented the boys with this plastic container. inside was the american flag, their flag, in perfect condition. and he said, that's it at the end of the table next to mr. romney. i grabbed that flag and held it out, and it was as if the electricity was running through my arm and i thought about all

of the men and women in our space program who put themselves in danger's path out of a desire for learning, for us. this is the american way. think of our servicemen and women who put themselves in harm's way for freedom. i have not seen that flag in 15 or 20 years or that scoutmaster but monument, colorado, is not that far from here. would you please welcome that scoutmaster from monument, colorado? [applause]

>> thank you. >> thank you. now, did i get that story right? >> you did, sir. >> that is a great flag, representing the greatest nation in the history of the earth. thank you. thank you. isn't that something? i see a troop of scouts here. thanks, young men, for your service in the community. it is in the american spirit, this idea of giving to others. my sister is one of my life heroes. she is in her 70's now. she has 8 children. seven of them are raised with children of their own.

the youngest of those children was born with down's syndrome. jeffrey is 43. my sister lives as a single mother. her husband passed away a few years ago. she has devoted her life, over 43 years and over these last several years, to jeffrey and making sure he has an abundant life. she is a hero to me. think of all the single moms that are struggling to make sure they have what is necessary to put a good meal on the table at the end of the day. the moms and dads that are working two jobs. they hardly see each other but they want to make sure the kids have the kind of clothes they have at school so they do not stand out. think of the couples at

christmas time who will say to each other, let's not exchange gifts. let's make sure we have enough for our kids to have a great christmas. this is a nation of people that give of themselves for things bigger than themselves. on november 6, i want us to come together and draw on that greatness. and that on november 7, we are going to work. by the way, i want you to reach across the street to that neighbor on the other side of the street that has the yard sign for the other guy. and i want you to know i will reach across the aisle in washington to people of good faith in the other party. we have got to come together and work for the common good of this great nation. this is much more than our moment. it is america's moment of renewal and purpose and optimism. we have journeyed far and wide in this great campaign for america's future. now we're almost there. one final push will get us

there. we had a lot of short nights and long days. now we are close. the door to a brighter future is there and open, waiting for us. i need your vote, i need your work, i need your help. walk with me. let's walk together. thank you so very much, colorado. you guys are the best. thank you so very much. thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012]

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